Spring Breakers
by SynonymsForAnonymous
Summary: Ashlyn Roberts was a typical new kid until she was enveloped into the drama that always surrounds Scott, Stiles, Lydia, Derek, Allison, and Isaac. Thankfully, things have been quiet lately so the group of friends take a vacation to celebrate. Ashlyn is close with all of the teens, but Isaac and Ashlyn become even closer. Isaac/OC Lydia/Stiles Allison/Scott
1. Chapter 1

I smiled as the last bell before the start of Spring Break rang. I knew that this week would be one of the most relaxing ones I've had since transferring to Beacon Hills. Lydia and Allison had immediately brought me into their circle of friends when they realized that I knew about the werewolves and other supernatural things that went on in this town. Even though this knowledge put me in danger a lot of the time, I was glad that my father worked with Stiles' and had accidentally let slip (during a conversation I had overheard) the curious things that went on in this town.

For the first time I could remember, no one was in danger right now and the celebratory feeling among my friends was tangible, a reason I was so excited about the weeklong vacation that we had planned. We were just going to Lydia's lake house a couple of hours from here, but it was something we all needed.

I finished gathering my books and stepped out into the packed hallway, full of teenagers like myself excited for a break from school. I was pushing my way through the crowd with little success when someone draped their arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.

"All packed and ready, Ashlyn?" Stiles asked me, breaking through the crowd and pulling me with him towards the parking lot. I looked up at him to see a huge grin plastered across his face, his eyes bright with excitement. Stiles definitely needed this vacation to de-stress since I know he was always worried about Scott. Heck, we were all constantly worried about Scott because he could never resist trying to be the hero.

"Are you kidding me? I've been packed for weeks, counting down to this moment!" I told him, bouncing up and down on my toes before turning to rifle through the trunk of my BMW for my bags.

"I wish I could drive your car to the lake", Stiles told me as he helped me load my bags into the Suburban Allison had borrowed from her father for the trip, "You know how much all the guys love your car." He whined as he shut the trunk of my Beamer.

I just smiled and leaned against his Jeep. "I just don't understand why all the guys are riding with you, and Allison and I are going with Lydia."

Stiles opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by a girl's voice instead. "Oh, you know why, Ashlyn. We have to have our girl talk on the way up there." Lydia told me as she walked up to us with Allison trailing behind a little behind.

"Besides, we get to listen to our music if the girls all ride together." Allison told me, as she glanced around the quickly emptying parking lot, probably for Scott. Though they weren't together, everyone could tell how strong their feelings still were for each other. With any luck, they'd get back together on this trip.

I just laughed at Allison's comment, and the four of us made small talk while waiting for Derek, Scott, and Isaac. I was entertained by the constant flirting Stiles aimed at Lydia, only for her to blow him off most times. I felt bad for him. He was a good guy and deserved someone who would actually value him; though I loved Lydia to death, I wasn't sure she would.

Eventually, Scott and Isaac came running up to us, sweat plastering their shirts to their finely muscled chests. They both had Gym last block, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were late because Coach had made them run extra laps.

"Where have you been, man?" Stiles impatiently asked his best friend, his arms folded across his chest. "If we want to get to the lake and still have daylight left, we better hurry up and we're still waiting on Derek."

"No need to wait anymore. Derek called me when I was in the locker room; he started heading up there about an hour ago. We can leave now." He shoved the phone he had been brandishing in his pocket before walking by Allison and climbing into the passenger side of the Jeep. Allison then quickly scrambled into the Suburban.

Soon, we were all assembled in our cars and were leaving the school grounds when I realized I had accidentally left my phone in the backseat of Stiles' Jeep when I had been putting my bags in the SUV.

"Lydia, can I borrow your phone for a minute?" I asked my best friend anxiously.

"Sure," she answered slowly, "but what happened to yours? Is it dead or something? I have a car charger, if you want to use it." She told me, handing me her iPhone.

"That's the problem. It's in Stiles' Jeep." I told her, quickly punching in Scott's number.

Scott answered after only two rings. "What's up, Lydia?" He answered over the loud music the boys were blaring already.

"It's not Lydia, it's me." I told him. "I left my phone in the Jeep. We're fixing to pass you, so can you hand it to me through my window."

"Sure." He answered. I heard him rifling through all the junk in the back seat before saying, "Where exactly is it?"

"The backseat." I told him.

"Okay." He muttered before I heard him asking Isaac to find it. After a few moments of faintly hearing Scott tell Stiles he really needed to clean out the Jeep, he pressed the phone against his ear again. "Isaac has it. Roll down your window and he'll hand it to you."

I had just pressed my finger on the button when Scott hung up, so I quickly handed Lydia back her phone and filled Allison in.

When we were beside the Jeep, I leaned out the window to grasp my phone from Isaac. He shyly smiled at me when I met his eyes. I grabbed hold of the phone finally, but not without accidentally grasping Isaac's fingers first. His eyes widened for a split second before I mumbled an apology and sat back in my seat.

Out of our whole group, Isaac was by far the shyest. He was naturally quiet, but I could tell being around girls made him nervous. When it was just the boys though, he seemed like he warmed up a bit more. Even though I hadn't known him for long, he always seemed mildly jumpy and automatically flinched if a hand was quickly raised. I wondered why sometimes, but chalked it off as something that was just a part of him. Maybe he had an older brother who always pushed him around. I tried to push it out of my mind, but it kept nagging at the back of my mind.

I quickly unlocked my phone to send a quick text to my mom only to find my Notes was open. I quickly read the short message: _I'm glad you're a part of our group. –Isaac. _I bit my lip in thought, surprised. Though if I were him, I would be happy I was no longer fifth wheeling at school too.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, any new boys on your horizon?" Allison asked me, squinting her eyes at the road. The sun was setting, and soon she'd have to turn on her lights. Lydia twisted around in her shotgun position, fixing her eyes on me. I just rolled my eyes and snorted at the question.

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to? I'm terminally single. Besides, if there even was a boy it would never work out. The next time some new problem comes along and I'm always randomly jetting about with no explanation I can tell him won't strengthen our relationship." I shifted my weight in my seat, uncomfortable talking about my romantic life.

"That is true." Lydia murmured, catching her lip between her finger and thumb and rubbing it pensively. "We can't have any more people involved in this."

"Then why don't you just date someone in on everything?" Allison prompted quietly. "Derek is single."

Lydia suddenly clapped her hands together, a smile breaking on her face. "That's absolutely perfect. I can't believe I didn't think of that already. Derek would be perfect for you. Tall, dark, and handsome. You'll have yourself an older man too." She winked at me.

I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. "Derek?! He's like everyone's father. That'd be too weird for everyone, especially if we broke up."

Lydia and Allison waved off my concern with excited voices. "Shut up, Ashlyn. The plan is already in motion as of now. You're going to use this week to get closer to him, no matter what you say. Plus, you're gorgeous. It's not like it'll be hard for him to be attracted to you."

"Whatever you say, Lydia. Speaking of being attracted to each other, what about you and Stiles? You would have to be blind to not see he has a thing for you." I told her, quickly changing the subject.

She just laughed and quickly flipped her strawberry blonde hair behind her shoulders. "Of course I know he likes me, silly. I've known that since before you even came here, before Allison too. He's just too…I don't know, good somehow. Jackson and I had sparks, fireworks, explosions when we were even across the room from each other. Stiles is so safe, so boring."

"Maybe you need that." Allison added.

"Like you're one to talk when it comes to romance, Allison. You and Scott just need to do us all a favor and get back together."

"It isn't that simple-" Allison tried to get out before being cut off by Lydia.

"Of course it is. You both want each other, that's for sure. You're perfect for each other. You still love each other. Need I go on?"

"I think we shouldn't be giving each other advice at all." I said to both of them. "Each of our love lives is either out of control, nonexistent, or blind." Both girls made noises of agreement then were silent.

"How close are we to the lake house?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Maybe fifteen minutes? Derek already bought the booze, and it's already up there. There's seven of us, and four bedrooms. How are we dividing it?" Lydia mused.

"The guys will think it's gay to share a bed, so we should all share one." Allison answered.

"Definitely. Besides, the rooming will change before the week's over, I can promise you that." Lydia said loudly, eyeing me. I just shook my head, laughing.

When we finally reached the end of the long driveway to the lake house, I had shut my mouth before I started drooling. It was huge, but there was also a pool and hot tub, not to mention the lake. I could make out Derek's figure against the sunset as he flipped whatever he was cooking on the grill. The Jeep was already parked, and the three teenage boys were already beginning to unload the bags. I quickly hopped out and made my way over to the guys.

"Luggage, please." I grinned, holding my hand out to Scott. He had Allison's bags in his hands and quickly jerked his head over to where Stiles and Isaac were before quickly trotting off to intercept Allison. I didn't even try to bite back my smile over how cute they were together. Though Lydia was wrong about many things, Scott and Allison needing to be together wasn't one of them. I turned my eyes back to the Jeep to find Lydia ordering Stiles around with her things. He was, of course, complying, excited about the fact that she was even talking to him. She soon set off towards the front door, Stiles balancing three suitcases plus his duffel bag precariously as he trotted after her.

That just left me and Isaac. I reached the back of the SUV the moment he was done unloading my bag. I held out my arm to carry it but he just mumbled, "It's fine. I've got it." before walking towards the door.

"It's okay, Isaac. You don't have to carry my stuff just because the other boys did for Lydia and Allison. I didn't pack much." I turned to place my small hand on his forearm but he quickly flinched away, so I retracted my hand. "Sorry." I quietly managed to choke out.

"No, I'm sorry. It's okay, don't worry about it." He lifted his gaze from the floor to focus on me with his baby blue eyes. "I don't really mind carrying your luggage either. It's just nice not to be the odd guy out for once." He said more quietly, letting a tiny smile flit across his face before dropping his eyes back to his feet. I only nodded, biting back a smile.

When I opened the door to my room, I couldn't help but let myself drool this time. One wall was entirely made out of windows, showcasing the beautiful sunset sinking beyond the horizon at the moment. "It's gorgeous." I said out loud, not sure if Isaac was still behind me. "It can't be mine though. I'm supposed to be sharing a room with Lydia and Allison so each of you can have a room for yourself."

"No. It's fine. I'll sleep on the couch if I have to. I knew you would like this room." I looked up to find him smiling again, except this one could be called a full on grin. I glanced at the sunset he was smiling at before turning towards him and gently placing my hand on his arm. He quickly glanced at me, eyes wide.

"Thank you, Isaac." I told him, before he quickly mumbled something and hastily made his way out of my room.

Thirty minutes later I was walking down the stairs in just my bikini towards the grill where I knew everyone would be hanging around. I would be wearing a t-shirt and athletic shorts right now if Lydia hadn't expressly told me she would make me sleep outside if I wore that. Knowing Lydia, she would probably come through on her threat too.

I walked out on the patio to find Derek all by himself. "Derek." I said, smiling, as he turned around quickly. I watched him do a lazy sweep of my body before speaking. "Ashlyn." He inclined his head, a smile playing about his lips. Lydia was right, he was very handsome.

"What are you grilling?" I asked him, following the delicious scent to the grill until I was standing beside him. I peered down at it. "Mm, steak."

"Just wait until you taste mine. It'll be the best you ever had." He said, winking.

"What am I hearing about the best she'll ever have?" Lydia chose that moment to make her appearance in a black bikini with Stiles panting behind her.

"We're talking about food, Lydia." I pointed out crossly. She just shrugged, more interested in Allison, Scott, and Isaac walking towards us. "Oh yay, everyone's here now, we can start drinking. Where'd you put the alcohol, Derek?"

"We'll get it." Scott said suddenly, dragging Isaac with him. I tried to make eye contact with the shy boy before Scott pulled him away, but he seemed to be looking everywhere but at me. I shrugged, turning back to whatever Derek was saying.

"Now Lydia, just make sure you don't get drunk." Allison was lecturing. "We all know how you get." Lydia huffed, folding her arms across her ample chest, and rolling her eyes at the darkening sky.

"What do you mean, _how she gets_?" I asked Allison, quizzically.

"Allison thinks I'm an emotional drunk who is always either crying or yelling, which is so not true." She glared up at Allison, playfully.

"It's totally true." Derek chimed in.

"What kind of drunk are you?" Allison asked me, her eyebrows raised.

I blushed a bright red then, lowering my eyes to the grass at my feet. "A flirty, affectionate one." I mumbled.

"What?" Allison and Lydia asked loudly. I looked up then, noticing Isaac and Scott carrying a cooler between them.

"I said a flirty, affectionate one." I told them a little louder. Scott and Isaac had set the cooler down now and were looking at us expectantly.

"So you mean a horny one?" Lydia asked, laughing.

"Basically." I sighed, defeated.

"Well, on that note. I think it's time we all took a swim." Scott cut in, quickly peeling off his t-shirt revealing his flawless chest before he and Stiles both cannonballed into the deep end of the pool. Allison quickly pushed Lydia in before being knocked into the water by Derek running at full speed as he attempted to land on a laughing Scott.

Suddenly, all eyes were on me and Isaac. "Throw her in!" everyone yelled at him. I managed to squeal out a "No!" before the situation was made awkward for Isaac. "I'm going to do a double backflip into the pool!" I quickly said. The group suddenly fell silent as I backed up a few steps before running and executing two perfect flips into the pool. When I surfaced, Isaac had jumped in too, and he and Derek were observing a chicken fight between Scott and Allison and Lydia and Stiles.

Later, we all sat around a campfire one of the boys had made, drinking and talking. I was starting to feel a buzz, but I decided not to let my drunken nature stop me. If Derek and I hooked up tonight, so what? It wouldn't be something to be ashamed about, that's for sure. I quickly grabbed another wine cooler as I flirtatiously batted my long eyelashes at nothing in particular. I was about to scoot over and fix myself upon Derek's lap when his phone rang out and he quickly stepped away into the darkness to answer it.

Disappointed that my prey had walked away for the time being, I decided to scoot into the spot Derek had previously occupied to lean against Isaac. The firelight made his curly, golden hair glow and I reached out my hand to run my fingers through it before his large, calloused hand caught mine and placed it my hand back on my lap. "What are you doing, Ashlyn?" he asked me quietly.

I slid my hand over to rest on the top of his thigh, giving it a gently squeeze before leaning in and whispering in his ear, "Whatever you want me to do." He just stared at my hand for a moment, not saying anything.

"Whatever you do tonight, you're going to regret it when you're sober."

"Don't you mean who I'm going to do tonight?" I giggled.

He gently pried my fingers away from my bottle before setting it on the grass beside me. "I think you've had enough."

"And you haven't had enough." I pouted, picking the bottle back up and draining the rest of its contents.

Isaac just shook his head sadly. "Sometimes alcohol can make you do bad things. Things that hurt yourself and other people." He murmured.

"Whaaa?" I slurred.

"Nothing." He told me quietly, gently picking up my hand that was inching up his thigh and intertwining it with his own.

Thirty minutes passed, maybe more and still Derek hadn't returned. Allison and Scott had left long ago and Lydia was whispering things into Stiles' ear. I felt sick and I made that known to Isaac. "Can you help me to my room?" I asked him helplessly as he helped me up and towards the house.

When we reached the bathroom that was connected to my room, I was dimly aware of Isaac awkwardly holding my hair back as I puked. I tried to make a mental note to thank him when I was sober. After that, I weakly crawled into bed, pulling Isaac towards me.

"I can't stay, Ashlyn. You're drunk. You don't know what you're doing." He stood over me, pushing a careless hand through his already tousled hair.

"No. Please, just stay. Don't leave, not even when I fall asleep." I begged him, before succumbing to my weariness.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up with a raging hangover. I squeezed my eyes tightly together, trying to block out the light filtering in through the windows. I really needed to get up and close the curtains, but I knew my body was too weak. I felt like puking and yelling and crying all at the same time. I managed to flop over in my bed, only to feel something warm touch me. My eyes quickly flew open only to find Isaac of all people lying there, fast asleep.

I forgot about my pounding head for a few minutes while I watched the boy peacefully sleep. His lanky, 6'1 frame was curled into a loose ball, his head resting on one of the palms of his hands. He had a small smile on his face. I absently wondered what he was dreaming about. He looked so sweet and innocent right then, like always really. He was handsome in the way angels were, I thought, all light and gold and cheekbones and brilliant eyes. He stuck out like a sore thumb among Scott, Stiles, and Derek with their dark features. Feeling my terrible hangover again, I quickly buried my face in my pillow, trying to block out all light.

When I woke again, the light outside was fading and the spot where Isaac had occupied earlier was empty. I reached out my hand to feel around in his spot. It was cold, so he'd been gone awhile. I couldn't help but feel a curious sense of disappointment that he was gone. Really, I should be embarrassed that he was in the same bed with me. Searching through my hazy memories of last night, I at least came to the conclusion that I hadn't slept with him. I sighed out loud in relief.

After I had gathered my strength, I pulled myself out of bed and slowly found my way to the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, I realized it was almost five in the afternoon. I had slept longer than I thought. I was just pulling out a bowl to pour cereal into when Stiles came around the corner to join me.

"Hungry?" he asked, while pulling out a skillet from a cabinet and opening the fridge to pull several ingredients out.

"Yeah, but I can make my own food. You don't have to do it for me." I told him, contradicting my own words however by taking a seat on one of the bar stools.

"Let me. I'm a pretty good cook. You kind of have to be, if you don't have a mom and your dad cooks like crap." He tried to play this off with a laugh, but I could still feel a tiny sliver of hurt in his tone too. I didn't answer for a minute, just silently watched him make grilled cheese sandwiches.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Lydia and Allison went to the grocery store. They wanted to take you, but they didn't think it was a good idea to wake you up. The boys are out doing some wolfy thing with Derek. That's what his phone call was about last night. Don't worry though; he's just making sure nothing comes up to spoil our week." Stiles came over to me then, placing the stack of grilled cheeses in front of me. I grabbed one and we both started to eat.

Sometimes I forgot how kind and selfless Stiles was. He was forever making sure everyone else was okay even though he was just a human. I could also remember the countless times he had taken the fall for someone else, all for the greater good. I couldn't understand his attraction to Lydia though, she was completely his opposite. Though opposites may attract for him, I wasn't sure it was the same for her. From what I had heard about her ex-boyfriend, Jackson, they seemed awfully alike.

I swallowed the last bite of my sandwich, "So, did Allison and Scott get back together?" I asked, very curious.

"I know they hooked up, but whether they are back together is unresolved at the moment. What about you?" He suddenly asked.

"Me?"

"Yeah. Lydia told me about her plan to get you and Derek together."

I just rolled my eyes. "It's Lydia's plan for me, not mine. We'll see what happens. Did Lydia wake up and finally realize what's right in front of her last night?" I asked him.

He suddenly cast his eyes to the ground before muttering something.

"What?" I prompted him.

"No! I said no, okay? It would be my first time, and I didn't want to do it with a drunken girl who would probably regret it in the morning. I love her, Ashlyn. I can't just take advantage of her like that. She stormed out of my room when I turned her down. To be honest, I don't know what to say to her when I see her next." He stopped his pacing to turn and look at me.

"I'm sorry, Stiles. You do deserve better you know, even if you think she is the best there is." I told him quietly. He just mumbled something in return, running a hand through his hair. "When I first came here Stiles, you were the nicest to me out of everyone. I just wanted you to know I appreciate that." I smiled up at him and he smiled back warmly.

Suddenly, the back door burst open to reveal Scott, Derek, and Isaac. Scott came loping up to the island the sandwiches were on, ruffling my hair as he shoved two in his mouth at the same time. I rolled my eyes, slapping his arm away playfully. "Someone's in a good mood." I remarked. Scott just grinned before pulling me up to him and spinning me around in an attempt at dancing.

"I think we all know why." Derek said calmly, leaning against the cabinets, surveying the scene before him with satisfaction. Derek had had a hard past couple of months too, and the serenity the lake offered was doing him wonders when it came to his mood.

"Yes, yes everyone. You've probably guessed it, but I and Allison are back together!" Scott quickly flung me into a lounging Isaac who caught me before I fell. I looked up to see him sweetly smiling down on me, but letting me go quickly once I had scrambled to my feet.

The next moments were full of hugs and slapping each other on the back. I was curious as to how he finally convinced her to date him again, but whatever he said or did, I was happy. Everyone felt how miserable the two were without each other.

Suddenly, Isaac leaned down to where he could whisper in my ear. "Take a walk with me?" he asked, almost as if he was sure he was going to get turned down.

"Sure." I answered, taking his wrist and pulling him towards the back door. Once we reached outside, he took the lead. I followed him into a path going through the woods. I was surprised at how dark everything already was, with the trees blocking out what little light was still left in the sky. Isaac was quiet for a long time, walking along, admiring the view. I decided to break the silence.

"About last night, I'm sorry, really. I get like that when I'm wasted, and I apologize. I also want to thank you for helping me last night, most guys wouldn't." I could feel my blush, and I tried to look anywhere but at him.

He just smiled. "It's fine. I didn't really mind. But I didn't ask you to take a walk with me because of that. I wanted to tell you-" Isaac suddenly cut off his sentence, his eyes glowing yellow.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked nervously.

"Something's here." He whispered. "We need to get moving. Come on!" He grabbed my hand and suddenly we were racing through the forest down the path. Soon, we branched off into an overgrown part of the trail until we reached a tiny cement block house. "In here." He whispered, before pushing us both in.

It was dark in this tiny space and smelled like rats. I was pressed against Isaac's chest, and I could feel the deep breaths he was taking. "What's going on?" I whispered.

"Shh." He hissed in my ear. Suddenly, the door slammed closed, leaving us in pitch darkness. "No, no, not again." Isaac whispered over and over. "I need to get out, I need to get out." I was surprised to find that Isaac was freaking out. I hadn't pegged him for the claustrophobic type.

"It's okay, Isaac. We'll be out of here soon." I whispered, turning around and hugging him. He tensed up at first, but eventually squeezed me tightly back. He laid his head on my shoulder and I could feel the quiet sobs wracking his body. "Shhh, it'll be alright." I told him, rubbing his back.

"Freezer…No..Dad, I'm sorry. Not this time. I'll do better." He cried quietly. I was puzzled, but didn't ask for an explanation.

"Isaac, look at me. Your dad isn't here, and there isn't a freezer. No one's going to hurt you. Look in my eyes." I told him, placing my hands on either side of his face where he was looking into my eyes. My heart broke at the obvious anguish he was feeling.

"I don't want to be hurt anymore. I always tried, but I was never good enough." His voice broke.

"You're good enough for me." I whispered, standing up on tiptoe and lightly pressing my lips against his. His lips were hard and unyielding at first, but soon they softened and parted a little, deepening our kiss. The only thing that broke us apart was the bang of the door when it swung outwards, letting in a few rays of moonlight.


	4. Chapter 4

Isaac and I didn't talk much on the way back to the lake house. He was basically sprinting ahead of me, barely ever glancing back to see if I was still here. Something was wrong with Isaac. I had never seen someone so afraid before today. I wanted to help him somehow, but I knew he would have a problem telling me about what had scarred him so. On the bright side though, whatever Isaac had hidden from in the woods didn't bother us while we raced back to the others.

When we burst in through the back door into the kitchen, me out of breath and Isaac wild eyed, everyone rushed over to us immediately. Isaac quickly explained what happened to Derek, and it was less than a minute before the entire wolf pack was off, trying to save the day once again. When the boys were gone and Stiles had been ordered away by Lydia, the two girls closed in on me.

"What happened, Ashlyn?" Allison asked gently, frowning a little. She probably really just wanted to know whether Scott was in any real danger.

"I don't know. Once second everything was fine, and then Isaac sensed something and he pulled me into some shack and then he got really claustrophobic and then I…I kissed him." I blushed, embarrassed.

"You kissed Isaac?!" Lydia demanded. "What happened to Derek?"

I shrugged which only infuriated her more. "There's something about him that seems broken. I don't know what it is, but I can't help wanting to take care of him."

Lydia just rolled her eyes, though she allowed a small smile to creep onto her face. Whatever Lydia might say, I knew it all came from her heart. It was hard for her to really connect with someone, but when she did, the bond was for life. I knew Lydia would support me no matter what, even if I rebelled over her choice of guy for me.

"Well, did he at least kiss you back?" Allison asked.

"Yes." I said slowly, "It was nice. He's a pretty good kisser actually. Afterward I think he was kind of weird about it. But I don't know. Anyway, congrats on you and Scott getting back together."

Allison just smiled, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. After that, we just went night swimming, trying to forget that the boys were out, possibly risking their lives on a trip that was supposed to be pure fun.

By the time midnight rolled around, the guys still weren't back so we all decided to head to sleep. I drifted off to sleep fitfully, my stomach churning over Isaac's wellbeing.

I woke to screaming. The kind that comes from someone who is in pure agony. The sound sent my stomach whirling in fear. I ran down the stairs, following the noise. When I reached the room where Isaac lay thrashing about in his sleep, I noticed I wasn't the only one who had been woken by him. Derek and Stiles were there too. "Go back to sleep. I've got it." I told them. They just gave each other meaningful looks before stepping back into the shadows towards their own rooms.

"Isaac! It's okay; you're just having a nightmare." I told the screaming boy, cupping my hand against his cheek. The physical contact sent him sitting bolt upright, his eyes darting about wildly. A fine sheen of sweat shone on his tan skin, yet there were goose bumps running up and down his arms. I stroked his cheek with my finger, shushing him. Finally I hugged him, and he tightly hugged me back for a long time, not letting go. Neither of us spoke for a long time. Even when he did speak out, he made sure his arm was draped around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"I have nightmares like these every single night." He began, "Scott and his mom are used to them. I keep expecting them to throw me out, but they never do. It's surprising, but then again, maybe that's what all loving families are like." He paused, resting his head on top of mine for a moment before continuing, "You know why I said yes to the bite? I said yes because I didn't want to feel so weak and worthless and powerless all the time. I wanted to matter. I sure as hell didn't matter to my father. Maybe I did once, but that was a long time ago. I used to have a mother and a brother too. They're dead. Camden died in combat, and my mother just walked out, just left. She left us, she left me. Camden did too, even if he couldn't help it. All my life, people have left. I just wanted a pack that would stay with me. But their deaths aren't the reason I have nightmares. I have nightmares because my father abused me. He beat me, he threw things at me, and he even locked me in the god damn freezer in the basement downstairs. Every time he imprisoned me, I always wondered if maybe that time would be the last time. I wondered if I would die in there. If he'd forget to get me out, or worse, purposefully keep me in there. I wondered if I would die and the last words I would ever say were an apology for something that was always my fault. I broke something; I wasn't good enough at lacrosse, my grades sucked. Sometimes I got beat because I was just there." Isaac's voice was breaking more and more the longer he talked. My heart was breaking too. "Derek told me the bite would make all of that go away. I thought it would too. I didn't realize how long the scars would last. That's why I freaked out earlier today, if you hadn't already realized. Old memories were stirred up."

Finally, I spoke. "You didn't scream last night."

He was quiet for a moment, gently turning my face until I was staring up at his. "That's because I was with you." And with that, he kissed me.

This kiss wasn't like the one from the cement block shack. That kiss was tentative and reassuring. It was gentle. This kiss was all passion. It was desperation and longing to be loved. My fingers tangled in his hair as he picked me up to straddle his lap. We only stopped kissing to gasp for air every once in a while. He'd trailed kisses down my neck, gently sucking, and I'd nibble on his ear before our mouths would crash together again. His hands were everywhere, but I didn't push them away. I was too busy tugging off his shirt, and unclasping my bra when his fingers fumbled. He picked me up, gently laying me down on his bed as he pulled my top over my head. I was fumbling at the buttons of the jeans he had fallen asleep in when he broke our kiss and removed my hands.

"No, not right now. This will be sympathy sex." He told me, though he didn't move his body away from mine an inch.

"Isaac. It's fine. I want to. I know you want to." And I did. I could feel how much he really did want to pressed against me.

"No. We need to be together before we get together, Ashlyn." He threw his shirt at me then, motioning I should put it on. I did, scowling as I slipped it over my head.

After that, he just lied down, pulling me close to his chest, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I fell asleep to his small snores tickling my ear.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke to Isaac kissing my cheek and tucking a bit of my hair behind my ear before I heard the creak of the bed as he padded out the door, quietly closing it behind him. I bit back a smile. For someone who had been abused so much, he was so sweet. I think after all this time of not having anyone to care for; he took every moment to even do the small things when he did. Though I knew I was plenty attracted to the broken boy, I realized I needed to take it slow with him. I could tell he was one of the boys who wanted a relationship, not a hookup. Which, if I was being honest with myself, I didn't mind. You couldn't help but grow to care for him quickly. I knew from Scott that Mrs. McCall loved Isaac as if he were her own son. On that thought, I let myself drift off back into a blissful sleep.

When I woke again near lunch time, I found a small bouquet of wildflowers on the nightstand, sitting atop a piece of notebook paper. I couldn't help but grin at how cute that was. I thought it was adorable that he took the time out of his day to do something like this that he knew would make me smile. I leaned down to sniff at the flowers before quickly reading the following words: _I didn't mean to wake you up this morning when I kissed your cheek. I couldn't help myself; you looked adorable asleep like that. I hope you'll accept these flowers as an apology. P.S. We're going on a date tonight. When you walk in your room, you'll see what I bought this morning that you could wear. Be ready by ' day should be over by then. –Isaac_

I couldn't help myself but squeal a little when I finished reading the note. I couldn't think of anything my past boyfriends had done that even came close to this romantic gesture, and Isaac wasn't even my boyfriend! Butterflies were already stirring in the pit of my stomach. I pushed down the pre-date jitters I hadn't gotten in forever as I quickly gathered the note and flowers in my hands and made my way to the kitchen.

Thankfully, the huge kitchen was deserted. I didn't really feel like all the questions and looks the girls would give me. I quickly filled a vase with water and stuck the sweet smelling flowers in it before dashing off to my room.

Just as Isaac had written, the perfect outfit for tonight was laid out on my bed. A gorgeous sky blue dress that I already knew would look amazing on me was lying there, along with some white wedges. Isaac even had bought costume jewelry to match. It took me at least five minutes to get over the initial shock of how well the boy had put everything together.

Completely excited, I quickly found Allison and Lydia and practically dragged them to my room. Both girls squealed with me once I showed them the note, flowers, and outfit that Isaac had all put together. Lydia insisted that she must do my makeup for the date. Allison kindly offered me help with my hair. I agreed and we spent the rest of the day talking in my room.

"So, you like him right?" Allison asked anxiously, "Because Scott has told me some of what his life was like before the bite, and I really don't think you should be leading him on. He's gone through enough pain to last him a lifetime."

I nodded, dropping my eyes solemnly to the floor for a minute. It hurt just to think about the horror that used to be his daily life. "Of course I do, Allison. You know I wouldn't do that, unlike someone." I threw a pointed glance at Lydia.

"Oh, hush, Ashlyn. This day is about you, not me. Leave Stiles out of it." She smiled at me, warmth in her eyes, "I'm really happy for you by the way; I want you to know that, even if you aren't going out with Derek tonight. To be honest, I actually think Isaac is a better match for you. He'll soften your hard edges; maybe even make you a little kinder." She elbowed me, humor in her expression.

"It all happened so fast though. We've been here for two days, and you two went from barely friends to going on a date." Allison mused.

"Well…" I began, embarrassed, "I kind of tried to have sex with him last night." I told them bluntly.

'What?!" Allison screeched, shocked.

"What do you mean by tried?" Lydia asked smoothly.

"He was, of course, a gentleman. He had just told me a lot about his past and said he didn't want sympathy sex from me." I elaborated.

"Well." Both girls said at the same time. I just nodded, still surprised myself.

An hour or two later, I was staring at the finished product of date night me in the mirror. I had to admit, I looked fantastic. The shade of blue perfectly matched my eyes and complimented my light brown hair. My legs looked miles long too; something which I knew probably wouldn't be lost on Isaac. I smiled in the mirror, feeling a hundred percent confident, a feeling I didn't get very often. My teeth looked very white tonight too. I chalked it off to the whitening toothpaste I had been using lately.

After giving me endless compliments and pep talks, my two best friends left my room to eliminate the awkwardness when Isaac walked in. When the door opened, I turned around, beaming, expecting to see my date. Instead, I found Stiles.

"Isaac better watch out tonight." He joked, "He'll have to fight off about a hundred different suitors when they see you in that dress tonight."

I just blushed, walking over to where Stiles was admiring the flowers. "You're making me blush." I told him.

"You know I'm not just flattering you either, Ashlyn. If I wasn't hopelessly in love with Lydia, I'd probably steal you away from Isaac myself." He winked then before wrapping an arm around my waist in a brotherly fashion while we stared out at the sunset.

"Where is Isaac?" I finally asked Stiles, breaking the quiet.

"Probably just showering and changing. He'll be ready soon." Stiles told me, disentangling his arm and walking towards the open door. Right before he disappeared from view he stopped and turned around to face me. "Ashlyn?" I turned around to face his serious eyes. "Have fun tonight." He told me before walking out the door.

Only a few minutes after Stiles had left me, I felt someone tightly hug me from behind, kissing my cheek in the process. "Don't use your werewolf powers to sneak up on me like that!" I told him, giggling, as I turned to face him. He whistled once he saw the front of me, and I had to stand on my tiptoes, even in wedges, to kiss him. The kiss was relatively chaste, with him pulling back first. I rolled my eyes at that, before attempting to kiss him again. He allowed me, but only let this one be quick. "No, no Ashlyn. I have a reservation we need to be on time for." He smiled, taking my hand and dragging me towards the door.

I was surprised to find that Derek was allowing Isaac to take his sports car. I absently wondered what Isaac had had to do for Derek to part with his baby for even a few hours. I almost swooned when Isaac opened my car door for me. I only had a few seconds to get my emotions under control until Isaac slid into the driver's seat.

"Where are we going?" I asked excitedly.

"It's a surprise." He told me, "By the way, you look even more beautiful than usual tonight." He told me shyly. I found his bashfulness extremely endearing tonight more than ever.

"You don't look so bad yourself." I told him, for the first time noticing what he was wearing. The white button up Polo and navy dress pants he was sporting tonight did him justice. "How was guy's day?" I asked him, changing the subject.

He smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Great, actually. We went to some theme park, and it was really fun. We all should go before the week is over, you would love it." He told me, gesturing with his hands wildly while still maintaining control of the wheel.

"Then when did you have the chance to pick the flowers and buy this?" I asked, gesturing to my dress.

"I always wake up really early. Once I left you, I drove into town to get the clothes and on my way back I saw the flowers on the side of the road and I thought they were pretty so I decided to get them for you. After I got home and put the dress in your room and the flowers in mine, we left."

I just nodded, smiling at the seemingly perfect boy. "Just to let you know, you have great taste in clothes and stuff." I told him.

"I hope you won't be disappointed, but I called Scott's mom on advice for the whole outfit." He winced, as if bracing himself to be yelled at or put down.

I think he was taken aback when I leaned over and quickly kissed him on the cheek. "That is probably the cutest thing I've ever heard."

"You really think so?" He asked.

"Of course! To be honest, you're about the most thoughtful and cute guy I've ever met."

"I don't think the adjective cute goes with a werewolf." He told me. I noticed offhandedly how his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

"I don't think Derek's pack is made up of your average werewolf." I countered, "I mean, you guys rode rollercoasters today."

He was quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. I noticed his eyes weren't crinkled up anymore, and he seemed too pale suddenly. "I really like you, Ashlyn. So if you aren't really attracted to me, don't lead me on."

I quickly laid my hand on top of his. "I'm not, Isaac. I wouldn't do that to you."

He just looked at me for a long moment before nodding and smiling a little. "I hope not, because when you catch another teenage boy's eye in a minute and he tries to make a move on you, I hope you'll remember that." He half joked while he parked and then opened my car door for me.

"I doubt I'll even notice anyone besides you tonight." I told him, lacing my fingers through his as we walked up to the fancy restaurant together.


	6. Chapter 6

The restaurant almost took my breath away. It was decorated with tiny twinkling lights everywhere, and candles burned all over the place. Isaac was busy talking to the host about our reservation while I looked around. By the way the patrons were dressed and the food they were served I could tell this was an expensive restaurant. Before I could feel guilty for making Isaac spend this much money on me, he took my arm and we followed the balding host to our table.

The table was set for two and was complete with a bouquet of roses. When I sat in my seat and the host went to push my chair under the table for me, Isaac waved him off and performed the task himself which led to my grinning from ear to ear smile. I couldn't believe that all the time I had known Isaac since moving here, he had never had a date at all. You would think that girls would be fighting over themselves to date him. Not that I was complaining about not having any competition.

"What are you thinking about?" Isaac suddenly asked, breaking my train of thought.

"How amazing and expensive this is." I told him, taking his hand across the table.

"Nah, don't worry about the cost. When my dad was murdered, I inherited everything of his, and it gives me a sick sort of satisfaction to spend his hard earned money. But I'm glad you like it so far." He told me, grinning.

I didn't know what to say after that, but thankfully I was spared answering by a young waitress appearing to hand us our menus. Well, to hand us our menus while not glancing at me once and staring at Isaac while batting her eyelashes and attempting to make small talk. When she finally left, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Isaac just gave me a quizzical look. "Don't tell me you didn't notice how much she was flirting with you."

"What?" he asked.

"She totally thought you were hot. So does every woman in here and maybe a few men too." I gestured to the tables around us, where sure enough, a few women and a man were staring at Isaac.

"I didn't really notice. Probably because I'm with the most beautiful girl there is." He told me, lightly squeezing my hand. I just rolled my eyes at his cheesiness. He paused for a minute before adding, "Before the bite, I just faded into the background. No one really noticed me, especially not girls."

"Well now they definitely do."

"But that's the thing. What's changed? I look at pictures from when I was just a human and I look the exact same as I do now."

I was quiet for a moment before gently saying, "You aren't afraid anymore."

"Yes, I am. I was afraid of the Kanima and the Darach. I'm afraid for my friends' safety. I'm afraid of dying." Isaac told me.

"But everyone's afraid of something. But you also gained the power to do something about your fear, which changed you. But something else did too: love. You gained a lot of people who love you. And it shines through you." I told him.

We just looked at each other for a long moment. I think we took that time to fall a little in love with each other. I noticed his long, thick eyelashes that framed his crystal clear eyes that seemed to refract the light around us. After staring at his cheekbones, I realized I wanted nothing more in that moment than to trace them with my thumb. I noticed how taught his shirt was around his broad, muscled shoulders. He was probably busy noticing me too. Maybe he was staring at the freckle above my left eyebrow or how I only had one dimple. Maybe he was thinking of running his thumb along my collarbones. I really don't know what he was thinking in that moment, but I knew one thing: that he was the most perfect person I had ever laid eyes on.

"You're one of the most interesting people I've ever met." He whispered.

"You're one of the most beautiful." I countered.

"I remember the first moment I saw you." Isaac suddenly told me. I just raised my eyebrow, prompting him to continue. "Stiles had already told us that you knew of us. Derek was furious. Lydia was unconcerned as usual. Scott and Allison were wary. I don't remember what I was feeling. I do remember the moment Stiles strolled into the apartment with his arms wrapped around your shoulders however. He was smiling, and he introduced you. When you looked at me, I felt something flicker in me, like I'd known you before but I had forgotten your face until I saw it that day. I wanted to be more like Scott in that moment, confidently stroll towards you and welcome you. I was too shy though, so I didn't. I've always wanted to tell you that, you know." He looked up at me expectantly then, his mouth slightly parted open, his eyebrows raised.

The waitress took that moment to appear with our drinks, breaking whatever moment we were having. She warmly handed Isaac his drink, and only looked at me to glare my way before setting down my drink. I couldn't really blame her for being jealous though, I would be too if an insanely handsome guy was with another girl.

"I remember that day. The girls warmed up to me soon enough, and then Scott did too. Stiles already loved me like a sister. I had already been warned Derek would be frosty until he knew he could trust me. You were the only person Stiles really hadn't told me anything about. You were definitely the quietest of the group, but whenever I glanced at you, you were always staring at me. Soon, I found myself wondering about you sometimes, but I never said anything to you for fear that you would think I was weird." I laughed.

Isaac just smiled at me. "I kind of really want to kiss you right now."

"I kind of really want you to." I mimicked.

Then the ever present waitress was back asking for our order. After that, we mostly just talked about everything and nothing. It wasn't until we were leaving the restaurant that anything unexpected happened. It was near closing time so almost all the patrons were getting ready to leave at once. We were walking out the front door, when several loud catcalls rang out. I half turned around before Isaac caught my arm and sped up his pace a little. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Before we could reach the Camaro, four boys appeared out of the shadowy darkness. I would have found them attractive if Isaac wasn't here, and they were no competition compared to him.

"Hey babe." Once of them said to me. I squeaked out a greeting to the boy before stepping a little closer to Isaac's body.

"You're looking mighty fine tonight." Another said.

"How about you ditch this loser and come with us." A third boy spoke up.

"We could show you a good time…" A fourth trailed off.

I could feel Isaac's extended claws pressing against my side. "Isaac, calm down. It's okay." I told him.

"No thanks." I told the boys. "I'm kind of busy right now." I added.

They all seemed to nod and accept that, and stepped aside to let Isaac and I pass through them so we could get to the car. I thought that was the end of it, but unfortunately, it wasn't. One of the boys made the mistake of slapping my ass while I walked away. It took about .02 seconds for Isaac to spin around and strike two of the boys to the ground. A third ran off into the darkness. The fourth boy, the leader probably, stood there with his arms crossed. He was the most likely of the four who had slapped my butt. It took Isaac no time to pick the boy up by his neck and slam him against a nearby tree. "Don't touch my girl. Have the decency to see she's with someone and leave her alone."

The boy made the mistake of answering Isaac. "I can't see how you scored her. She can do so much better."

"I know." Isaac told him simply before dropping the boy on the ground, and grabbing my hand and stalking away with me in tow.

The first five minutes of the car ride were filled with an awkward silence. "I'm sorry about that." He finally told me, "I just couldn't stand there and let them talk to you and then touch you like that."

"No, it's fine." I told him. "Actually, I appreciate it. They shouldn't have done that, so thank you."

He just nodded. "Do you want to go back to the house already, or can I show you something?" He asked me.

"No, I don't want to go back yet."

"I hoped you'd say that." He told me, speeding up the Camaro with a devilish grin.

Isaac drove out into the middle of basically nothing. There was just us and long, tall grass that was waving gently in the wind. "Where are we?" I asked.

"I don't know really, but that's not the important part. Look at the sky." He pointed with his free hand at the thousands of stars twinkling in the sky. It was breathtaking. With his other hand he gently squeezed my waist. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I could only nod in response, too awestruck to do anything else.

"Isaac..." I whispered, gently cupping his cheek with my hand. He turned to look at me. "Do you still kind of want to kiss-" I joked, but was cut off by the pressure of his lips before I could finish. These kisses were slow and meaningful. We took our time kissing under the starlight. These were sweet and loving. I knew I'd have to watch myself so I wouldn't fall in love too fast with this boy.

We broke apart what felt like hours later. I just snuggled underneath his arm wrapped tightly around me. I don't think I could be happier in that moment. Everything was just perfect. "Have you ever been in love before?" I asked him. He was quiet for a long time before answering me.

"No." He told me. "I've had crushes and kind of girlfriends, but I've never been in love before. Have you?'

"Yes." I answered honestly. "I was in love with my boyfriend who I had dated since I was like 11. We really loved each other. I thought we were going to get married; we probably would have too if he hadn't died."

"He died?" Isaac asked questioningly.

"It's been about a year since he passed away. We were both sophomores, and it was winter. He had a fireplace in his house. Somehow the whole house caught on fire. His whole family died. That's one of the reasons my family moved here." I told him, blinking back the few tears that threatened to cascade down my face.

"I'm sorry." He told me.

"Me too. But I guess it was supposed to happen. He was the only boy I have ever been with, you know."

"What was his name?"

"Carter Davis."

Neither of us said anything for a long time after that. We just stared at the stars until we were too cold to stay there any longer and then we got in the Camaro and drove away. I think I was kind of in love with him at the end of the night. I didn't say anything like usual though. I just wondered if he was kind of in love with me too.


	7. Chapter 7

When we walked into the front door I was surprised by how quiet and dark the house was. I had expected someone to wait up for us, just to make things weird when we walked in. I paused in the entryway, unsure of what to do next. Should I just hug him and walk to my room? Are we going back to his? Does he expect sex? These questions swirled around in my mind. "Thanks for taking me out tonight Isaac. It was fun. The best date I've ever been on, to be honest." He just grinned, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. He didn't immediately push me up against the wall and take my clothes off so I figured he didn't expect sex. I turned to go and was about to step onto the stairs when he called my name.

"Ashlyn, wait." I paused, turning. "Are you at least going to kiss me goodnight?" He asked. I just grinned and ran towards him. I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck. He lifted me up off the ground a little as he passionately kissed me back.

When we broke apart I whispered, "Goodnight." before quickly making my way up the stairs. It took me a long time to fall asleep that night, because my brain was too busy thinking about the perfect evening I had had with the perfect boy.

I was rudely awoken the next morning by Scott pulling open my curtains as fast as he could and Stiles squirting me with a water pistol. I quickly jumped out of my bed and snatched the water pistol, hurling it through my empty doorway. Scott quickly threw a swimsuit at me before he and Stiles escaped my wrath. I pulled the suit on quickly, irritated at the two boys. I would get payback somehow, someday.

I made my way down to the living room about ten minutes later, Ray Bans on my face and a towel draped over my arm. Everyone else was stuffed in the couch and chairs, impatiently waiting on me. When I first walked into the room, the first face I found myself searching for was Isaac's. When I saw him, he had already fixed his eyes upon me. I couldn't help noticing how god-like he was in that moment. His tanned, muscled body was clad in black board shorts. He was leaning against the wall closest to me, and after smiling at me, he made his way over to where I stood and proceeded to wrap his arm around my waist before kissing me on the top of my head. I felt a blush heat up my cheeks as the others stared at us.

Thankfully, Derek broke the weird moment by clapping his hands together and standing up, "Well, since everyone's here now, we can go." Everyone else rose to their feet and followed the alpha out the door. "Where are we going?" I asked Isaac as he held open the front door for me.

"The beach of course." He told me as we headed toward Stiles' Jeep.

"Why? There's a lake right here." I told him. He just shrugged and mumbled something about going with the flow before opening the car door for me and climbing in behind me. I was interested to note that Stiles and Scott rode with us. I thought it was funny that they made Derek ride with the other girls.

The short forty five minute ride to the beach was hilarious with the three boys. Stiles and Scott together were enough to make anyone laugh. I couldn't remember a time I had been happier. Isaac's arm was slung across the back of my seat and his fingers reached to my left shoulder where he would sometimes lightly tickle it. Scott would be turned around in his seat talking to us while Stiles sometimes glanced in his mirror to watch us laugh at whatever he had just said. I knew I'd look back on this moment years later and smile.

When we pulled up to the beach, I was the first out, excited to dig my toes into the warm sand. A few guys turned their heads to look at me as they walked past, which led to Isaac threading his fingers through mine in a show of possessiveness that I found adorable. When some girls eyed him from their car, I decided to play the same game as he was, and kissed him lightly before plucking my sunglasses off and putting them on him. I had to admit he looked ten times better in them than I did. I absently wondered when his birthday was so I could buy him a pair.

I was the first of the group to rush into the water, followed closely by Stiles and Scott. Isaac and Allison joined us soon after, once they had finished setting up all of our chairs and umbrellas. Lydia, of course, just laid there and attempted to tan. I don't think she would ever accept that she was a ginger. Derek wandered off to buy a drink.

After a few hours of splashing around in the water, Allison and I swam back to shore to tan with Lydia and have our daily girl talk. They mostly just listened to me tell them about Isaac and I's date last night. They oohed and ahhed in all the right places, and told me that we were probably the cutest couple they had ever seen. I asked Allison about Scott in return and Lydia continued to roll her eyes and insist that she wasn't in love with Stiles. After a while, the conversation died down and we all plugged in our ear buds and shut our eyes, soaking up the sun. Derek continually supplied everyone but Stiles and Allison drinks since they were driving, even though he constantly threatened that we better pay him back. After about four beers he loosened up and started having fun with the rest of the guys.

When I opened my eyes again, I stood up, preparing to cool off by joining Isaac in the water and maybe sneaking a few kisses with him in the process. It wasn't until the water was lapping against my ankles that I realized Isaac wasn't floating and messing around with Derek, Scott, and Stiles in the water. I quickly looked around and found him surrounded by beautiful girls scantily clad in bikinis. I was surprised at the jealousy that quickly shot through my veins. One of the girls must have noticed me staring because she directed a question at him before pointing to me. The other girls laughed at whatever she had said. He turned around and quickly paled before loping over to where I was standing.

"I know what it must've looked like, but I wasn't messing around with those girls, Ashlyn." He tried to explain, taking both of my hands in his.

I just shook my head. "No, it's fine Isaac. It's not like we're in a relationship. We went on one date, that's all. I can't expect you not to keep your options open after that."

He frowned at that before answering. "Is that you what you really think of me? That the day after I take out the girl I've kind of been crushing on since I saw her, I'm going to flirt with other girls, especially right in front of her?" I just shrugged, avoiding his gaze. He took my chin in his hand before speaking again. "Look, I really really really like you Ashlyn. I think you like me and I don't want to screw that up at all. I'm only interested in you." He leaned down and lightly kissed my lips, almost as if he were afraid of how I'd react. Thankfully for him, I kissed him back. I knew I had over reacted anyway.

The rest of the day passed without any surprises, other than the fact that Lydia actually got in the water. The girls begged me to ride back with them, but I declined, telling them I'd make it up to them by having a girls' day tomorrow. Lydia quickly agreed, already talking about how we needed to go shopping and the perfect stores to visit. I only smiled at nodded, too much in a good mood to damper Lydia's spirits. I even caught Allison and Scott sharing a quick kiss. I knew everything was finally right in the world when I snuggled up against Isaac's chest as we drove home with the windows down, enjoying the thrill of living.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke to the bright morning light that brightened every surface in the lake house's living room. My back was pressed against Isaac's and he had his strong arms tightly wrapped around me. I appeared to be the first one up, since everyone else was still softly snoring. Last night, after everyone had washed up from the beach, we had all crowded into the living room to watch some romantic comedy that just ended up putting everyone to sleep. Derek was spread out on the recliner near the fireplace, and Allison and Scott were cuddled up together on the love seat. Stiles had his arm thrown around Lydia's shoulders on the opposite end of the couch where Isaac and I rested. I couldn't help but smile at how happy and peaceful everyone seemed.

I couldn't remember a time before this week when Stiles wasn't researching possible solutions to whatever the current problem was. I also couldn't recall any period of time lasting longer than five minutes when Scott didn't have his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched, trying to come up with a plan to save everyone. Derek was also happier than I'd ever seen him, though a happy Derek was equal to an average person being mildly annoyed; but hey, I would take whatever I could get. Glancing at the two girls, I noticed Lydia appeared younger and more down to earth while asleep, while Allison just simply appeared happier. Turning my head a little to study Isaac, I couldn't help but press tiny kisses against his well-defined jawline. After a few seconds of that, he awoke with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Morning, gorgeous." He nuzzled my ear, whispering his words. I just quietly giggled, attempting to disentangle myself from the boy. He only held me tighter though, before turning me around to face him. "Can we talk about something for a minute while we have some privacy?" he asked me, seriously, eyeing the others, making sure they were asleep. Feeling my heart drop through my stomach I nervously mumbled an affirmation, glancing everywhere but at him. "I was just wondering…if you would like to be my girlfriend." He shyly asked me.

I just grinned, kissing him as a response. "Is that a good enough answer?" I asked him a few moments later before bounding up to take a shower. Before I had made it out of the living room I turned and paused to face Isaac who was watching me go. "Would you like to take a shower?" I asked him, attempting to sound sultry.

"Is that a nice way of telling me I smell bad?" He asked me, oblivious to what I was insinuating.

I just rolled my eyes before answering, "I was asking if you wanted to take a shower…with me." I prompted. I noticed how his eyes immediately opened widely, and his eyebrows shot up. Accidentally, I noticed the bulge in his pants before quickly averting my eyes. He managed to nod before I skipped off to the bathroom that was adjoined to my room.

I was surprised at the lack of butterflies that I knew should be fluttering around in my stomach. Maybe I was calm because I'd had sex in a shower before or that I knew I was making the right decision. Either way, I was glad I was in control of my emotions. I let the water cascade through my hair, slicking it back. I heard the door open and then softly shut. I saw Isaac's outline in the mottled glass door I peered through and absently wondered if this was his first time. My thoughts were forgotten however when he slid back the door and stepped towards me.

He took a long look at me before doing anything. I didn't mind though, because it gave me time to look at him. Besides, I knew I probably looked pretty good with water droplets clinging to my skin, not to mention the fact that I was naked, which were enough for most boys.

Suddenly, he took a step towards to bring his mouth against mine. Not long after that, his hands were everywhere: my waist, my breasts, and my hair. And then his fingers were inside of me, I groaned as he trailed kisses along my neck, lightly sucking. Then he picked me up, his large hands cupping my ass as our bodies managed to crash together, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine.

I don't know how long we stayed in the shower, kissing and laughing and having sex. We stayed in there long after the hot water had run cold. Eventually though, neither of us could handle the freezing water that was being rained down upon us and we climbed out regretfully, wrapping fluffy towels around ourselves to warm up. Soon after, I shooed Isaac out of my room in order to get ready for the girls' day I had promised Lydia and Allison.

It was about two hours later when I glanced at the finished product in the mirror. I had let my hair dry natural so loose curls and waves cascaded around me, framing my lightly tanned face. I had kept my makeup light; even though I knew Lydia would probably make a comment about how less is not always more. I knew she would brighten up when I told her and Allison about this morning though. I had casually thrown on a pair of jean shorts and a printed tank top, not really in the market to impress any guys since I had recently bagged my own.

I followed my nose to the kitchen to find Allison making breakfast while Lydia sat there, quickly typing something on her phone. They both looked up from their activity for a moment when they noticed me, but neither said anything just gave me knowing smiles and raised eyebrows. I plopped down beside Lydia, pushing my hair back from my face. "So who's ready for our girls' only day?" I asked my two best friends who broke out in large grins. They were dressed too, and I could tell they were ready to get away from the boys.

"I can't wait. I'm actually in need of some advice for once." Lydia told us, examining her perfectly manicured nails.

"I can give you an update on Scott and me." Allison added.

"And I have tons to tell both of you once we get out of here." I told them, and I could almost see the impatience they felt. I knew how it felt to wonder if your best friend had finally hooked up with her recent squeeze or not.

Thankfully for them though, we were soon pulling out of the driveway and I could safely talk to them without fear of werewolf hearing listening in to my conversation. "Tell us everything!" Allison practically squealed, glancing back at me in her mirror.

"Well," I began, "To begin with, Isaac and I are officially a couple-"I was cut off by screams of delight from the two girls and questions as to how he had exactly asked me before I could get on with the most important part of my story. After I had told them that Isaac and I had done the deed, neither of them could shut up about it even after we had arrived at the outlets we were frequenting today. Even as we sat outside and ate our lunch, Lydia somehow managed to bring up the subject again, even though I thought we had quite exhausted it already.

"So, was he any good?" Lydia asked me conspiratorially, leaning in closer to me and Allison and lowering her voice.

"VERY. I was blown away. Definitely some of the best I've ever had." I told both the girls who just shook their heads and smiled in return.

"There is something about Beacon Hills boys." Lydia hinted, grinning, which caused Allison and I to sit up straighter in our seats.

"So, you and Stiles?" Allison prompted, barely able to contain her delight.

Lydia glanced around for a few seconds before answering, "Yes! I've decided I think there's something there and I'm going to tell him being an 'us' is worth a shot." After hearing this news, we all did a group hug around our table, which led to some people giving us funny glances.

After that Allison quietly told us that she and Scott were better than ever, which Lydia and I were happy about too. This was probably the first time that everything was going right in all of our love lives. It was funny that things had completely changed since the ride up here a few days ago.

We spent the rest of the day trying on clothes and swiping our fathers' credit cards. We didn't begin to head home until the sun was sinking beyond the horizon. We sped back to the lake house laughing, singing, and just feeling the thrill of being alive.


	9. Chapter 9

The rest of the week we had left at the lake house passed in blur of radiance. Everyone was so happy and carefree. I just wanted to hold onto this week forever; I wanted to somehow freeze time where we could stay here constantly, though I knew that was impossible. Isaac and I just did normal couple-like things the rest of the week, but the focus wasn't really on us. It was on Stiles and Lydia, then Scott and Allison, and finally, Derek.

Stiles and Lydia were probably the most polar opposite couple you could think of if you didn't know them like I did. They were both insanely smart to begin with, but there were a lot of little things they had in common that popped up here and there. They were both extremely clingy, so that worked out well for them. They were always touching somehow whether it was holding hands, hugging, or even just their arms touching. They looked at each other in the same way too: blind adoration, like the other persons' flaws were invisible to each other. But then again, that was how it was when you're in love. I would know, since I was insanely in love with Isaac though neither of us had actually said the words yet. I was really happy for Lydia too since I had heard so many stories about how hot and cold she and Jackson had been. Stiles was always mellow, never really changing. I think she needed that stability in her life.

Scott and Allison were busy being adorable constantly too. He had even gotten her a sort of ring that meant he promised to always stand by her and eventually marry her or something like that. Though I thought it was great for them, I was glad she was the one wearing the ring and not me. I wasn't ready to make a commitment that serious anytime soon. I was already prepping her on the best way to tell her father. I was certain Mr. Argent wouldn't be jumping with joy when he found out, since his opinion of Scott wasn't extremely high. Let's just say that he wasn't the type of guy who would already pretend Scott was family. I wondered how different things would be right now if Scott hadn't gotten bit that night.

Derek was also having the time of his life. He had recently gotten a call that his old friend with benefits was back in town and asking for him. He didn't tell us much about her, but I had a feeling that he didn't plan on keeping her just a friend for long. The bags that were usually under his eyes from all the stress he was under had disappeared during this trip too. He was finally getting all the sleep he needed and the weight of the world wasn't on his shoulders at the moment. He was probably also thrilled that the pack was getting along better than ever. Scott seemed to finally trust Derek completely, not to mention the fact that the three boys were finally becoming more than pack. Scott and Isaac had gotten close since Derek had kicked my boyfriend out, but now Derek was Isaac's friend, not just his alpha.

Isaac and I had had a lot of sweet moments too, but they weren't a big deal compared to the others. One night, we lit candles everywhere in his room and slow danced all night to old songs. One morning we watched the sun come up together. Another night at two in the morning we decided to make cookies and wake everyone up to enjoy them. Another day I had been too afraid to swing off the rope into the pond so he had gone with me. I cherished these simple things.

It was the last night at the lake house and I was packing mournfully when Isaac walked in my room, flopping down on my bed with a worried look on his face. "What's up?" I asked him cheerfully, stuffing a few shirts into my suitcase.

He was quiet for a moment before he began talking, choosing his words carefully. "When we get home…are things going to…change…with us?"

I stopped packing then, turning around to face him. "Why would they?" I asked, stepping closer to him.

He just shrugged and began picking at a loose thread on the bedspread. "I don't know. It's just at home there's always at least three guys panting after you." I just snorted at his exaggeration before gently sitting on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. He stopped worrying the thread and lifted his head up to look me in the eyes hopefully.

"Well, I guess we are just going to have to let them know I'm with someone now." I told the boy, lightly kissing his lips before pulling back to look into his crystal clear blue eyes. He smiled, gently pressing his forehead to rest against mine.

"Ashlyn, I think I'm in love with you." He told me slowly. I knew how hard this was for him, so I couldn't help but hug him tightly for a long time before I answered.

"And I know I'm in love with you." I told my striking boyfriend, kissing his nose playfully before bouncing up and standing in front of him, crossing my arms across my chest. "Now are you going to help me pack?"

He just laughed and straightened up to his full height, and began handing me clothes to stuff in my suitcase.

The next morning I stood, shivering, in front of my large window, surveying the peaceful lake in front of me. I was sorry to leave this place, I really loved it here. There was a chill in the air today, causing me to wrap my arms tightly around myself. Just then, I saw Isaac appear in my doorway. I watched the reflection of him on the window slowly approach me. I turned around and he pressed a large, streaming mug of coffee in my hand. I curled my fingers around the cup, sighing. I loved coffee almost more than life itself.

"There's a lot of milk and sugar in there, just how you like it." Isaac told me as I sipped at the steaming gift sent from God himself.

"I knew there was a reason I love you." I told my boyfriend playfully, nudging him with my hip. He just rolled his eyes and wrapped his free arm around my hip. We stayed that way, drinking our coffee peacefully until Derek was sent to tell us it was time to go.

Once I had climbed into the backseat of Allison's Suburban I quickly texted my mom, telling her we were heading home. She worried a lot so I figured I'd put her mind at ease. After Isaac had got done helping load the entire luggage of everyone, he climbed in the backseat beside me. Scott had the shotgun position so he could sit beside Allison. Lydia and Stiles were going back in Stiles' Jeep. Derek, of course, was driving his Camaro back, solo as usual.

The car was a blur. Laughing, talking, singing. I even managed to pass out and drool a little on Isaac's shoulder. Thank God he thought it was cute, though I don't see how. I know I look disgusting when I sleep. I've seen the embarrassing photos people have taken of me before. I was surprised Scott hadn't pulled a prank on me while I was asleep.

When we finally reached home, Allison dropped me off at my house first. Isaac hopped out to help me get my luggage out the trunk. Once I had all my things together, I stood on tiptoe to kiss Isaac before I left. It would be weird not being with him 24/7 like I had been lately. Maybe distance would make the heart grow fonder than it already was, I thought before dashing inside and bending down to envelop my little brother in a hug. I would let Isaac meet my crazy family soon enough, I thought with a smile.


End file.
